


The Tortoise and The Hares

by daire



Category: Highlander - All Media Types
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2001-04-25
Updated: 2001-04-25
Packaged: 2018-12-18 05:46:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11867967
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daire/pseuds/daire
Summary: Note from Daire, the archivist: this story was originally archived atDaire's Fanfic Refuge. Deciding to give the stories a more long-term home, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address onDaire's Fanfic Refuge's collection profile.





	The Tortoise and The Hares

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Daire, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Daire's Fanfic Refuge](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Daire%27s_Fanfic_Refuge). Deciding to give the stories a more long-term home, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Daire's Fanfic Refuge's collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/dairesfanficrefuge/profile).

The Tortoise and The Hares by Daire

_The Tortoise and The Hares_

By Daire 

This was in response to a Mid-Week Challenge on the HL Holyground Forum to write a scene on one of two options: 1) Write a short story about one or more of the Highlander Immortals (good, evil or otherwise) in a very difficult attempt to find an empty parking space; or 2) Write a short story that takes place in the HL universe, involving road rage. I chose Option 1. 

* * *

It was madness. Sheer madness. What had he been thinking to get involved? But, oh, MacLeod had near blackmailed him into submission. 

And now he was on an impossible mission of finding Amanda a birthday present. Methos would have taken the first flight out of Seacouver and dropped her a card. Instead, MacLeod had him by the neck, not letting him squirm away. Something about having Amanda surrounded by friends after what had happened with that Nick Wolfe person. Methos wasn't one to get all warm and fuzzy, and didn't want to start now. Only Alexa had had that privilege in recent years. 

Besides, what does a person get a 1,200-year-old Immortal who either has what she wants, or will steal what she doesn't already have? 

MacLeod had hinted towards diamonds and jewels, but Methos thought that was too personal a gift to come from him. Therefore, he had no clue what to get the minx. 

Not that it looked like he would get anywhere near the mall without driving back to his apartment and _walking_ back. He'd been trolling the parking lot for at least forty-five minutes just looking for a free space. Or, at least, someone walking towards their car getting ready to leave. Which wasn't going to happen if everyone kept heading towards the mall. 

Methos liked the times when people rode horses and there were no large lots for parking. You tied up your horse or wagon and could walk around town because it was never more than a few 'blocks', unless you were in a larger city or town. 

These days, one thing you needed was on one side of town, another in the opposite direction. Where was the convenience in that? At least cars were faster than horses. 

He was about to give up when he saw someone's reverse lights come on. They were two rows over and the closest cars were himself and the one coming towards him. 

Methos started speeding up seconds before the other driver saw the departing car. The other car sped up as well. The race was on, and Methos was in the lead. 

He wished his car were high enough that he could go over the sections of grass and shrubs like in the SUV commercial. Then he'd be waiting for that spot in no time. 

Survival instincts kicked in. It was park or roam. And he wanted to park, get his shopping done, and get the bloody hell out of there. Absently, he wondered why the mall was so crowded in the middle of the day during the week. 

Methos neared the end of the aisle and slowed enough that he wouldn't go skidding sideways as he turned. Looking both ways, there was – miraculously – no one coming and he turned into the next row. In his rear view mirror, his opponent had still yet to reach the end, but didn't have far to go either. 

Coming out of the turn, he sped up again. The vacating car passed him, but gave it no notice. 

Another car had entered the race, though moving more like the tortoise than the hares. 

To top it off, the tortoise already had their turn signal on for the empty space. Methos couldn't believe it. The other driver had to have come out of thin air. 

He slowed and stopped, allowing the car to pull into the space. As it did, he got a look at the driver – a little old grey-haired woman. 

His mouth dropped open. 'Of all the bloody....' 

When his opponent reached the scene, his mouth dropped as well and looked at Methos, who shrugged, still in disbelief. 

Pulling his cell phone out, Methos punched in a number, and when he got his agent he told her, 'Book me on the next flight to China.' 

Amanda would just have to do with a card. It was the thought that counted anyway. 

04/25/01 

* * *

© 2001   
Please send comments to the author! 

05/04/2001 

* * *


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